Number 7

Forty-One: Future Endeavours

Akiyasu

Patrolling the south end of my designated watch area, I stayed close to the ground, using my quirk to feel any vibrations in the elements around me. Still, I felt no footsteps.

With a sigh, I straightened and shot back to the top of a building, keeping an aerial view of the surroundings. According to the information the police chief had received, the villains had planned to break in to this one particular building. Their goal was unclear, but we couldn't afford to allow things to play out. So far though, the villains hadn't shown up.

Crouching on the ledge, I pulled my phone from my hero suit and called Shota. It only took a few rings for him to answer.

"What happened? Are they in custody?" Were the first words to spill through the speaker.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I tried to hide the fatigue in my voice, "No ones shown yet. We're still waiting for them."

"It's already one a.m.?" He questioned and I could vaguely hear Echiko fussing in the background.

"I know. I'll be home as soon as they're in custody." I promised, feeling guilty for not being home yet. This was the first time since returning to my hero work after my pregnancy that I had stayed out past 9pm. I was always back home with my family in time to say goodnight to Eri and Echiko.

"Well it's already far too late to get back to see Eri, but I think Echiko might still be awake by the time you finish with those villains."

"I can take her off your hands when I get back if she's still being a pain."

"Hopefully you won't have to." His voice left the microphone and echoed in the background loud enough for me to hear, "babies should be asleep, Echiko." The baby only responded with incoherent babbling. "I don't think she got the memo." He admitted jokingly.

I giggled softly, shaking my head to myself. "I'll call you back when I'm on my way home, okay?"

"Okay, stay safe." Aizawa mumbled into the phone.

"I will."

The line went dead and I dropped my phone back into my pocket. Soon enough, I'd be back home, I just needed to take care of these villains.

But another hour passed, and then another. At 3:15am, I finally contacted the police station asking if we should just go home for the night, but I was denied. So now, I pouted against the heating duct on the roof of the building, arms crossed over my chest.

"The villains obviously tricked us." I mumbled to myself, feeling my eyelids growing heavy.

To keep myself awake, I brought my phone out and checked the security cameras in my home for the dozenth time in the last two hours. Shota was still asleep in the same spot on the bed, Echiko in the crib beside him. Eri was also fast asleep, tangled in her bedsheets as always.

Smiling to myself, my eyes continued to watch each screen when I flipped to the designated camera until the slightest sound caught my attention. My phone was switched off and back in my pocket instantly while my legs carried me back to the ledge of the building. Someone was on the street below. My eyes searched the ground for any movements or shapes and nothing came to view until I finally looked down the end of the alley. Disappointment set in and I leaned away from the edge again.

"Just a dog." I huffed aloud, spinning around and sauntering back in the direction of the heating duct.

"What's the number 6 pro hero of Japan doing on a mission like this?" A raspy voice spoke from somewhere, making me jump out of my skin. My eyes went in the direction of the voice, finding a dark figure crouched atop the ledge of the opposite building, which stood only 12 feet taller than my own rooftop.